![]() Wills led the Mariners to a 20-38 record to end the 1980 season, and he was fired on May 6, 1981, when the team was mired in last place at 6-18. It was evident in the numerous gaffes he committed, including calling for a relief pitcher when nobody was warming up in the bullpen and holding up a game for several minutes while looking for a pinch hitter. Wills’ tenure managing the Mariners was largely regarded as a disaster and he was criticized for his lack of managerial experience. He also managed winter ball in the Mexican Pacific League, winning a league championship in 1970-71. On Craig's next throw, Wills stole second.īy age 32, Wills was bandaging his legs before games because of the punishment of sliding.Īfter retiring with the Dodgers in 1972, Wills worked an analyst at NBC for five years. Once, in a game against the New York Mets, Wills was on first base when pitcher Roger Craig threw 12 straight times to the bag. When a pitcher’s throw drove him back to the bag, he became even more determined to steal. He carefully studied pitchers and their pickoff moves when he wasn’t on base. His speed made him a constant threat on the basepaths and he distracted pitchers even if he didn’t try to steal. He was credited with reviving the stolen base as a strategy. Wills led the NL in stolen bases from 1960-65, was a seven-time All-Star selection and won Gold Glove Awards in 1961 and ’62. "He still didn’t believe me, he thought maybe I was carrying it for somebody," Wills told the Post. "So we walk down there and baseball players have a sick sense of humor, because when I stood in front of the door, with my Dodger shirt and duffel bag, and the man opened the door and said, ‘Anybody in here know this boy?’ and they all looked at me and said, ’Never saw him before," Wills told The Washington Post in 2015.Īfter the game, Wills left with his MVP trophy and showed it to the guard. Wills suggested the guard escort him to the NL clubhouse door, where he would wait while the guard asked the players to confirm his identity. However, the security guard wouldn’t let him in, saying he was too small to be a ballplayer. He arrived at the ballpark carrying a Dodgers bag and wearing a Dodgers shirt. Wills stayed at home with his family instead of at the team hotel for the All-Star Game. He was the National League Most Valuable Player in 1962, the same year he was MVP of the All-Star Game played in his hometown of Washington, D.C. ![]() Wills had an ill-fated stint managing the Seattle Mariners from 1980-81, going 26-56 with a winning percentage of.
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